30 Hour Famine & SF Food Bank
Jun 30, 2009 7
The 30 Hour Famine was really an eye-opening one. I was particulary blown away by how much God can use people who are really committed to serving Him. I really felt like I did nothing, but God worked in the lives of people I asked for money and they generously contributed. What really struck me is that many of my old friends and coworkers really rallied around our cause when I asked them for money. I think when you tell someone you’re a Christian and you are actively doing something with your church- like selling snowcones or holding bake sales and garage sales, they have no choice but to really consider what makes you the person that you are. I found many of my old friends either contributed financially to the cause or at least supported my cause. In many cases, it gave me a venue to share how my Christian church was actively trying to raise money to stop poverty around the world. Oftentimes, when I tell people how much we raised last year, they are blown away. It’s amazing to be part of a church that is so passionate about serving God–wheather or not we notice somtimes–other people definitely do. How many people get the opportunity to bag over 4,500 lbs of rice for the hungry while raising awareness about poverty around the world? I am really in awe at the devotion of our church–I really feel it’s a testament to the gospel.
Looking back on the 30 Hour Famine, I’d say that I was touched more by the experience itself than anything else. During that time, I found myself struggling so much even though it was only 30 hours. It made me really consider how much hunger affects people around the world. The experience made me recall my encounters with children in Thailand, Mexico, and Bangladesh. I remember distinctly being extremely frustrated with the lackidasical demeanor of the students. I couldn’t understand why they wouldn’t listen or frequently drifted off. The 30 hour famine really put my frustrating experiences into perspective. As I bailed out rice to be bagged and weighed I found myself unable to focus and rather exhausted. It wasn’t long before I dumped 6 lbs of rice on the floor because I wasn’t concentrating on what I was doing. The experience really gave me a sense of compassion and awe for the many starving children around the world and what they must go through. It’s so easy just to think that hunger affects just once facet of a child’s life, but that’s a lie. They can’t learn, they can’t study, they can’t work, and I’m sure sometimes they can’t even sleep. While my mistake only cost a couple pounds of rice, those starving children who work in factories often lose limbs because of it. The experience made me extremely grateful that we had the opportunity to experience just a piece of what they go through–it really made me want to do more.
I’d say the other experience I found incredibly humbling was my opportunity to serve with Koinoinia’s Homegroup Twix at their 30 Hour Famine Garage Sale. They raised over $800 dollars selling our junk at Dana house. When the residents of Dana House were debriefing on their success, John Chung said something which really made me think. He said, “We made over $800 just selling our junk. I would just like to encourage you guys as we go through 30 hour famine to really consider how much God has given you and just to be frugal with it & just use it for His kingdom.” The truth of what he was saying really struck me–if our junk is worth $800 how much more so is our stuff worth? And if I have all this stuff, am I being frugal in how I spend my money or am I just assuming I need these things. Every time I told people that one dollar could feed a child for a day it became a little bit more of a reality for me. It really made me see why our leaders are so frugal for themselves and generous towards others. I hope that I become a man who is really frugal towards myself but generous towards others.
Luke 12:48 – “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”
As usual, we will meet at dinner at 5:45pm, location TBD. MYT will start at 7pm at 1st pres, Bible Study at 8:40pm.
